The present invention is related to robotic item manipulation, and more particularly to the structure and function of finger configurations for manipulating items.
Many industries rely on robotic manipulators, such as robotic arms. Such robotic manipulators function to increase repeatability of tasks, increase efficiency of production lines, and bring other benefits to their operators. A robotic arm may include an end effector that is specialized to grasp a particular class of objects from known or fixed orientations. End effectors may include grippers that have friction surfaces to contact opposing sides of an object.
When manipulating the object, the robot positions the arm in close proximity to the object and the arm deploys the finger. The finger typically then comes in contact with the object and applies a horizontal, normal force to squeeze the object. A high friction material on the body of the finger enhances gripping.